Week 7

The Australian Curriculum in ICT

The readings for the week were focused on The Australian Curriculum, specifically ICT. Below is a summary of the categories and requirements of students:

Categories:

·      Applying social and ethical protocols and practices.

o   Intellectual property

o   Information security

o   Personal security

o   ICT and society

·      Investigating with ICT

o   defining and planning information searches

o   locating and accessing data and information

o   selecting and evaluating data and information

·      Creating with ICT

o   Generating ideas, plans and processes

o   Generating solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

·      Communicating with ICT

o   Collaborating sharing and exchanging

o   Understanding and applying social protocols

o   Applying techniques or strategies to ensure security of information

·      Managing and operating ICT

o   Using ICT efficiently and ergonomically

o   Selecting hardware and software

o   Understanding ICT systems

o   Managing digital data 

There were no presentations this week as we were given the opportunity to work on our group assignment video for LA1. 

Week 6

Reading 1- Leading ICT in Education Practices

o   Based on their recommendations and the aforementioned literature, this toolkit proposed a framework of strategic planning processes that encompasses six strategic dimensions that TEIs need to focus on:

1. Vision and Philosophy

2. Program: Curriculum, Assessment, and Practicum

3. Professional Learning of Deans, Teacher Educators and Support Staff

4. ICT Plan, Infrastructure, Resources and Support 

5. Communications and Partnerships

·      Parent/school communication- blogs, class website, skype sessions/interviews.

·      Professional development communication with other teachers. Setting up a supportive network with other new teachers. Such as the Beginning Teachers Network.

·      Parents can be a great resource for supporting what is happening in the classroom e.g. for excursions or donating computers/books to the class.

6. Research and Evaluation

·      Assessment- report card comments.

·      Screencast o matic – recording tool when using web browsing, also records the voice over. Useful for PD videos.

Two presentations this week. Games in Learning and Thinking Digitally

·      Games in learning- using games for assessment.

o   Can be used as an observational tool

o   Used for formative assessment, e.g. mathletics.

o   Not so much for summative assessment.

o   Educational games need to implement assessment to allow for teachers to utilize these games properly. E.g. printable assessment overviews.

o   Example- who wants to be a millionaire.

·      Ours- inquiring with ICT.

·      Early Years ICT- animated classroom using moviemaker

o   Creating a stop motion movie.

o   Future shots- competition allowing students to make their own stop motion film.

o   iClone5 – using characters in a virtual world.